Recently diagnosed, Unsure what to expect

Cris · New User Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Sacramento

My husband was diagnosed in June with pancretic, lung and liver cancer. We have been told that his prognosis was 3 - 5 months. He is not a candidate for operations. We have been going for chemo (2 treatments to date), gemcitabin and platinol. I work (the health insurance is from my work) but want to spend as much time as possible at home with him, my question is regrding progression. Right now he is ambulatory but sleeps most of the time. I can call throughout the day and talk/check on him. Does anyone have any advice on what changes to watch for as this progresses. He has nautiousness, no vomiting as yet, has gone from 206 lbs to 153lbs since April. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Cris

Big Sister · Experienced user Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 68

Hello Cris -- I have not posted to this forum in a long time but check in once in a while to see how things are going.

I read the post about your husband and I was very moved.

All situations are different but you asked about time, about changes, about information and advice. If you have time, my posting of a year ago: "The End -- Thoughts on a Loved One's Dying" may give you answers to questions too painful to ask aloud.

I wish you peaceful hours with your husband; time is very precious now.

Big Sister Pat

Cris · New User Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Sacramento

Pat, I read your experiences from a year ago. You covered the subject beautifully. I am still working and the reason I am looking for signs (God knows they are there) as to progression is that I want to be home with my husband as much as possible for this brief time we have left but work/money/insurance restrict me to a limited time.

You are correct in your description about the sleep, the up (awake) time, the reminiscances and the happy moments. There will never be enough time but it is what it is and as my husband says "we have to work with the hand we have been dealt"

Thank you
Cris

brainman

Cris, I a very sorry about your husband's cancer. It is extremely rare for a person to have three primary cancers at the same time. More common by far is one primary that has spread to other organs. Do you if this is the case with your husband? It really makes a difference in terms of what he can expect next.

Regardless of which one it is, it is obviously very aggressive and should be treated aggressively.

You and your husband have been dealt a very poor hand. The two of you are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Cris · New User Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Sacramento

Jim, thank you for the wishes. He was diagnosed with pancreatic, stage 4 which has spread to both lungs and the liver. The tumor on the pancreas is on the back of the pancreas. It was located through a CT scan, due to location and mass they were unable to get a biopsy and then the PET scan showed the involvement in the lungs and liver. He had a stent put in two weeks ago which has relieved the jaundice.

Cris

brainman

Cris, Pancreatic Cancer is on of the worse cancer a person can have. It can be so devastating on a person's quality of life. Plus, it is sooo aggressive that often it is found after it has already metastasized to other organs.

There are several of our members who are long term survivors (going on 18 months or more). It is so sad to speak of 18 months as "long term" but that is the case with PC.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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